Like a florid rodeo clown who only reveals the true purpose of his job as a paramedic if necessary, a trombonist's ability to express broad emotions with his horn often masks the instrument's cerebral ability. But without eschewing the ...

Like a florid rodeo clown who only reveals the true purpose of his job as a paramedic if necessary, a trombonist's ability to express broad emotions with his horn often masks the instrument's cerebral ability. But without eschewing the brass instruments connective and conceptive role, the trombonists here - a German trombone duo and a French technician leading a bass and drum trio - demonstrate the instrument's sonic elasticity. If Robert and company's disc is the equivalent of attending the appearances of actors who are as likely to animate a TV commercial, as Chekov, then MM Squared Session is the equivalent to dedicating your evening to avant-garde theatre. Two of Germany's most accomplished trombonists, Berlin's Matthias Muller and Koln's Matthias Muche have created a two-hander with the idea of alluding to any extended technique and tones capable of being produced by their instruments. Since two modern sackbuts are involved, it's impossible to tell who plays what. But theimpression is like seeing Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart performing Waiting for Godot in full make up. The play's the thing; not who performs it. [...] Muller and Muche are more akin to Beat poets Gregory Corso and Allen Ginsberg on this CD at least. MM Squared Session's four sound poems are designed to stretch the trombone language as much as the Beats did so with English language imagery. Unlike versifiers who work alone, the German brass men are able to ricochet concepts off each other and respond in kind to each other's sonic suggestions. Most of the time however, their improvisations ignore the comfortable middle-range, choosing instead to concentrate on near-luminous puffs, cacophonous staccato breaks or low-pitched grumbles. The effect is sometimes like experiencing the aftershock of a hurricane. But M&M are so attuned to each others' creativity that the oscillated buzzes, often forced through their horns without valve movement are reminiscent of waves fusing to create a choppysea, and then gradually calming. That concept is put to good use on "Ma". Gentler meteorological readings result from "Mu" however. Escalating from distant buzzes to harsh blats the brass players come on like conjoined twins with the same nervous system. Flat-line burrs drip from one corpus to the other eventually creating almost opaque slurs that satisfy. It's as if crazy glue has locked together two half of a painted portrait. This same sort of cooperation is evident on the extended "Tti". Yet the genuine excitement engendered as M&M rupture the preceding low-key face off between toad-like crocking from one trombonist and rugged gusts from the other to determine who can blow out the largest volume of unaccented air. The finale funds both operating like twin harnessed steeds moving a carriage in tandem. Renaissance trombones were known as sackbuts. But there's a whole bag of modern tricks on display here via three contemporary trombone stylists."Ken Waxman, JazzWord